Nap of the Day: Exciting mare to silence De Bromhead doubters?

Despite being smashed into odds-on, it was a disappointing effort from Wednesday's selection, who faded tamely once delivered into the race by Harry Cobden. Taking the widest route of all didn't help, mind.

Nap of the Day followers await the first winner of the week - hopefully it comes in Ireland on Thursday.

If Henry de Bromhead was in better form - more on that in a moment - what price would ECHOING SILENCE be for this Listed mares' novice hurdle at Punchestown on Thursday?

For me, the five-year-old daughter of Doyen would be around the 7/4 mark. A clear favourite, at least.

Her trainer hasn't saddled a single winner from 44 runners in 20 days, though, which at face value is a worrying statistic for potential backers.

However, a deeper look into the facts and figures leads me to believe things aren't quite as bad as they seem.

Only four of his 36 runners in the past fortnight were sent off favourite, three of which finished second. A further nine of his beaten horses hit the frame.

I'd say they're not actually running that badly and a bit of luck is all that's needed for the narrative to change.

Hopefully the highly-regarded Echoing Silence can turn the tide on Thursday.

The £410k point-to-point winner, owned by Kenny Alexander of Honeysuckle fame, was bitterly disappointing on hurdling debut around this time last year, but opened her account in a bumper at Down Royal this March.

Over 200 days later, she was tried back over timber and she fairly bolted up in a Cork maiden, beating 14 rivals by over six lengths.

That form is working out nicely. The runner-up, who reopposes, gave Triumph Hurdle fifth Place De La Nation a lot to think about at Thurles next time out, before a no-show in a Grade 3 at Cork last weekend. Barra Rua, who was over 10 lengths adrift of the selection in third, was a next-time-out winner who fared much better in that same graded affair in Mallow.

In fourth was a Charles Byrnes mare called Flashaway, who has since beaten the reopposing Switch From Diesel. That reads very well in our favour.

Peter Fahey's unbeaten Chosen Comrade isn't passed on lightly, but I'm not overly enthusiastic about the form of her victory at Limerick.

Amen Kate, Neon Diamond and Carry On Heidi have a bit to find on Echoing Silence if she runs to form, let alone betters her debut effort.

If I'm right about De Bromhead's form, she ought to be very difficult to beat in this company.

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